CONTACT:
Conservation Officer Jonathan Demler
603-744-5470
603-271-3361
July 13, 2026
Lincoln, NH – At 4:35 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, 2026, NH Fish and Game Conservation Officers were notified of a hiker who was experiencing severe fatigue-like symptoms at Lonesome Lake. Sandra McGuire, 56, of Norfolk, MA, had hiked up the Basin-Cascade Trail with friends but could no longer continue to hike at the dam of Lonesome Lake. McGuire had spent approximately 2 hours in a degraded state while she was assisted by her hiking companions, personnel from the Appalachian Mountain Club’s (AMC) Lonesome Lake Hut, and good Samaritan hikers when it was decided to place a call for help. Due to the severity of the symptoms and concern for McGuire’s overall safety, a rescue effort was started.
Rescuers from the Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team and Conservation Officers with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department responded to the Lonesome Lake Trailhead and began hiking to McGuire’s location. Fortunately, McGuire was able to start descending the Lonesome Lake Trail with assistance from the AMC personnel and members of her hiking party.
Rescuers reached McGuire at 6:00 p.m. on the Lonesome Lake Trail approximately 0.8 miles above the trailhead. McGuire continued to hike with assistance the rest of the way to the trailhead, reaching it safely at 7:05 p.m. McGuire was then evaluated and released by medics from Linwood Ambulance at the trailhead.
Conservation Officers want to emphasize that hiking mountains in New Hampshire is a strenuous task, no matter the listed difficulty or reputation of the trail. Make sure you have the HikeSafe 10 essentials and understand the HikeSafe Code. Visit www.hikesafe.com to learn or review and also to purchase your HikeSafe Card, with the proceeds going to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Search and Rescue Fund.